August 2022

[Bertl]

Still alot of peacock and red admirals in my garden basking in the sun and feeding on the last of the buddleia.

[zigzag_wanderer]

Love those voles, ZZW. You're so lucky to get that close to them.

Thanks David, looking out for nature is definitely one of the perks of the job.

I was "caught" photographing these, but I told the boss I was trying to get him a picture for the nursery's Christmas card

The trays of litre pots of lavender had only been on the floor for 4-5 weeks but the voles don't need much time. On Tuesday a colleague was spreading the individual pots on the next bed, so unfortunately for the voles the roof was slowly coming off their sub-tray world. They nest in snaggles in the flooring and it must be heaven for them for a while living under there.

The young don't appear to have much fear of humans at this stage. They kept running back to their ersthwhile home (see below).

The mum stays safely hidden once uncovered and rounds up all her young once she thinks it's safe to do so.....generally under a set of trays on another bed.

[zigzag_wanderer]

And I can confirm that working on a bed full of lavender is more of an olfactory delight than one of ornamental cabbage.

[David M]

Thanks for this, ZZW. I never knew voles were so pale in colour. Looks like they've found a comfy and (relatively) safe place to nest.

[Allan.W.]

Hello Zig-zag ,
I reckon your,e last larvae (from your post on previous page ) is a White Ermine ,agree with Rush Veneer (very worn !) seeing a lot of those at present
the other ones a bit of a puzzle ..............but i,m sure someone will know .................Good to see the Vole family !
Regards Allan.W.

[zigzag_wanderer]

Thanks Allan,

I've just taken a look and there's some very similar looking ones online for White Ermine, so I make you spot on - cheers !

Yes, the other one was a striking looking thing in terms of its background colour and yellow hairs. I'll put it on the ID page to see if anyone knows it.

Looks like an excellent day out for you yesterday by the way. I'm only at one Clouded Yellow so far this year and it certainly wasn't a Helice !

Cheers again.

David - yes Field Voles can have a fair bit of colour variation but they tend to be a bit sandier in colour than the similar Bank Vole.

[Bertl]

A few other critters in my garden amongst the butterflies.

[Testudo Man]

This last Saturday meant a return trip to Darland Banks (in Kent) target species were both male an female 2nd brood Adonis Blues. The "drought" conditions have had an impact for sure! Low numbers were found, an it was certainly hard going! I would say no more than 5 males, an maybe 3 females sighted. Well down on previous years. I did find a mating pair, so that was a bonus.

The male Adonis Blue open wing shot, was taken the previous week, at Queensdown Warren (in Kent) which is another site suffering low numbers of 2nd brood Adonis this season/year.

Meadow Browns seem to be doing much better, with 25+ sighted, 5+ Large Whites, a couple of Brown Argus, less than 5 Common Blues (1 female, an 1 fresh male seen). Both male an female Chalk Hill Blues just about vanishing now! really worn males, an the females not far behind(probably less than 10 in total). A possible Speckled Wood seen, but cant be 100% sure?!

Just the female Adonis image cropped, the other images are not cropped. Cheers Paul.

[Allan.W.]

My Comma larva has finally pupated ,and is now a very striking pupa ,with 6 metallic panels on one section ..........wonder what the purpose of these panels is ?

The close up of the panelled side put me in mind of an old classic "Eagles" album cover ............."One of these Nights " (for those of a certain age !)

The last couple of shots are from the weekend ,better shots of the Red Bartsia Blunthorn bee and the "Helice " Clouded Yellow.

Allan.W.

[David M]

My Comma larva has finally pupated ,and is now a very striking pupa ,with 6 metallic panels on one section ..........wonder what the purpose of these panels is ?

They're so outrageously bright, Allan, that I can only think 'bird dropping'. No science in that...just a hunch.

[David M]

Saturday 13th Aug, Kenfig Dunes, Glamorgan:

Meadow Brown 600-800
Common Blue 300-400
Hedge Brown 30-40
Painted Lady 25-35
Wall Brown 13
Small White 10-15
Small Heath 8
Grayling 5
Speckled Wood 2
Red Admiral 1
Clouded Yellow 1
Small Tortoiseshell 1

[Matsukaze]

Red Admiral at Westhay Moor, Somerset, today.

[David M]

Sunday 14th - Crymlyn Burrows, Swansea:

Meadow Brown 100-130
Common Blue 10-15
Hedge Brown 5-10
Small White 5
Small Heath 4
Speckled Wood 2
Small Copper 1
Green Veined White 1

[bugboy]

Along with a couple of male LTB and a Trevor, a reasonably fresh female showed up and behaved impeccably at Whitehawk Hill this afternoon.

A mating pair were photographed yesterday and this female was taking a lot of interest in BLEP buds although I saw no eggs being laid and a hunt for some came up blank. I think might be a Pea Moth egg.

[zigzag_wanderer]

Definitely a bit less about now at work than a few weeks ago.

I did spot at least 5 impressively large vespas this week (and I'm not talking about traffic passing the nursery on the way to the Brighton bank holiday mod weekender). We also had Hummingbird Hawk-moths visit every day. They love the lavender as much as the voles do I think.

I did spot my first work Clouded Yellow (only my 2nd individual of the year). This was outside, I've never seen one in a house. I also spotted my second and third Small Coppers of the year. The first of these being inside House #5 on an Echinacea.

I also saw what I take to be a Tephritid fruit fly. Not sure what species. I know these are not always welcomed, but some are beautifully decorated.

Couple of moth larvae.

Moth A: Found munching directly on a carnation flower head.

Moth B: Had all but destroyed a 10.5 cm pot cyclamen plant. Very large caterpillar.

I am going to call them as:

Moth A: Scarce Bordered Straw Moth
Moth B: Cabbage Moth (assuming they will eat cyclamen as well as brassica).

As always please correct me if I'm wrong on anything. Or if you are able to ID the fruit fly species (assuming it is a Tephritid). Ta muchly.

[David M]

Friday 19th, Cosmeston Lakes Park, Glamorgan:

Meadow Brown 150-200
Common Blue 100-150
Small White 5
Hedge Brown 4
Small Copper 3
Speckled Wood 3
Brown Argus 1
Painted Lady 1

[Matsukaze]

Zigzag - a good candidate for moth larva A is Lychnis Hadena bicruris, which looks very much like this and a species I've reared from Dianthus species a few times (it also uses campions). There are a couple of related but less common moth species that will also use it, which have similar larvae. The caterpillars feed on the seeds and are easy to rear - pop in a tub with a bunch of seedheads until they show signs of wanting to pupate, then transfer to a tub of compost so they can bury themselves in. The moths should emerge round about next May/June.

[Jack Harrison]

Britain's oldest

John Tinniswood has just 'celebrated' his 110th birthday.

This is my 78th season of Peacocks (first in 1945). I feel about as old as this fellow who must be 12 months old or even more. 28th August.

Jack

[Bertl]

Still some visitors to my aberdeen garden on the last few buddleia flowers.

[David M]

Nice to see you've still got Peacocks visiting, Bertl. I think I've only seen two this last 6 weeks or so. I reckon they all aestivated to escape the high temperatures down south.